Ignition timing device



Dec. 29, 1936. L EHRUCH 2,066,069

IGNITION TIMING DEVICE Filed March 20, 19 0 2 Sheets-Sheet l gmnntoz M La Dec. 29, 1936. IEHRLICH 2,066,069

IGNITION TIMING DEVICE Filed March 20, 19 2 Sheets-Shet 2 100/19 5. ffrr/l'cfr (dummy;

Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES IGNITION TIMING DEVICE Louis B. Ehrlich, Toledo, Ohio, asslgnor to The Electric Auto-Lite Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 20,

I r 7 Claims.

This invention relates to ignition timing devices for internal combustion engines and more particularly to atiming and distributing mechanism for use in such ignition systems for controlling and distributing the current for producing ignition charges within the cylinders of such engine. 9

The invention contemplates a novel and unique arrangement of parts in a device of this character and particularly the means for adjusting the current interrupter mechanism.

The invention embraces a simplified means for regulating the amount of clearance opening of the interrupter contacts and includes the provision of an arrangement wherein such adjustments may be made without the use of special tools.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novel arrangement of interrupting mechanism for use with a multi-cylinder engine wherein the periodic movements of the interrupter mechanism are substantially decreased.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawings of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which a Figure 1 is a side elevational view partially in section showing the general arrangement of combined current interrupter and distributor mechanism of my invention;

Figure 2 is a detail plan view of the support and interrupting mechanism;

Figure 3 is a detail view of certain parts of the interrupting element;

Figure 4 is a detail view of other parts of the assembly;

Figure 5 is a view of a modified form of the arrangement similar to Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing a form of adjustment;

Figure '7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-4 of Figure 6.

I have illustrated my invention as incorporated in the so-called combined timer and distributor for use with internal combustion engines, but it is to be understood that I contemplate the use of my invention wherever the same may be found applicable. Referring to the drawings in detail a substantially circular cup-like housing 5 1930, Serial No. 437,373

is provided with 9. depending portion 6 which forms a suitable bearing for a shaft 1, the latter carrying at its lower end a collar 8 formed with suitable means adapted to interlock and form a driving connection with a part of the internal combustion engine (not shown) with which the device may be used.

The upper end of the shaft 1 is provided with a reduced portion l I which acts as guiding means for the cam element adapted to rotate with t-he shaft 1 as herein illustrated comprising the support I! carrying a cam l4. The cup member 5 supports a guiding plate I5 having a central opening to accommodate the cam support l2, the plate supporting the current interrupting mechanism. The upper portion of the cup like housing 5 is suitably closed by means of a cap 9 which is provided with a plurality of high tension terminals H) which are suitably connected to the spark plugs of the engine (not shown)". The upper extremity of the member l2 carries a current distributing arm l3 of insulating material which is provided with suitable current conducting elements It and IQ for distributing the current to the terminals ill in consecutive order of their arrangement, the elements l9 and it being insulated from each other and adapted to be connected to two independent sources of high tension current. In the embodiment illustrated the device is equipped with a pair of movable contact carrying or breaker arms ll and i8, but it is to be understood that the device of my invention may be used with only one breaker arm. The breaker arm I! is pivotally supported upon a pin 20 and insulated therefrom by means of the insulating bushing 22 which is carried by an adjustable member or bracket 2| as particularly shown in Figures 2 and 4. The bracket H is in turn pivotally mounted upon a pin 23 carried by the plate 55.

The bracket 2| is formed adjacent the pin 23 with an upwardly projecting L-shaped portion 25 which is adapted to support a relatively stationary contact member 26 riveted or otherwise secured to the member 25. The breaker arm ll 45 is provided at its outer extremity with a contact 21 adapted for normal engagement with the fixed contact 26', being urged into engagement by a spring 24. It should be noted that during the operation of the engine, the lobes of the cam l4 alternately engage the projection 28 on the breaker arm for the purpose of periodically separating the interrupter contacts 26 and 21 to break the circuit.

One of the features of the invention is the CTl racers of adjusting the distance of separation of the contacts 25 and 2"? by the action of the cam which structure will now be described. The bracket 21 is provided with an open slot 30 which accommodates the head of a screw 3|, the head of the screw being eccentric with respect to the threaded portion thereof. The bracket is also provided with elongated slots adapted to accommodate the screws 3% and 35 acting as locking means for the bracket 2i. In the operation of adjusting the separation of the contacts, the screws 34 and 35 are backed awayto release the bracket 2i, thescrew 33 then being rotated moving the bracket 2i clockwise or counterclockwise about the pivot pin 23 as an axis. This adjustment obviously moves the projection 28 of the breaker arrn fl nearer to or farther away from the axis of the cam I l in this manner regulating the opening of the contacts 26 and 2?. After the proper adjustment has been obtained by means of the eccentric screw 3|, the screws 34 and 35 may be locked to hold the bracket and breaker arm in adjusted position. It should be noted that struck up projections ,cooperating with the open slot may be used in lieu of the eccentric screw above mentioned as illustrated in Figure 5, a screw driver or other suitable tool being used to adjust the bracket 2|.

When the additional breaker arm 18 is employed as shown in Figure 2, a bracket 40 similar to bracket 2i is pivotally supported by means of a pin 4! upon an irregular plate 43 which in turn is adjustably carried by the plate IS. The plate d3 is provided with struck up portions 45 which snugly fit the edges of the central opening in the plate 15, thus rendering the plate 3 adjustable about the axis of the cam l2. The plate 43 may be locked in its adjusted position by means of screws 41" and 48 to the plate 15, the purpose of adjustment of the plate 3 being to properly regulate the relative position of the breaker arm IS with respect to the breaker arm it for purposes of synchronizing interruptions of the two breaker arms by means of the cam H.

The bracket 42 carrying the breaker arm I8 is provided with a slot H which accommodates an eccentric screw 59, the latter being capable of rotation to change the position of the bracket 46 with respect to its supporting plate #3. The bracket may be locked in position by manipulation of the screw The brackets 2! and 40 are provided with means which insulatingly support the terminals 58, the latter being held in place by means of screws The terminals 56 are res ectively connected to the movable breaker arms by means of flexible current conductors 59 in a manner not illustrated in detail.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 5 to 7 inclusive, the breaker mechanism is substantially the same as that hereinbefore described. The breaker illustrated in Figure 5 is insulatingly supported upon a pin 12 which is mounted directly upon the supporting plate 13. The extremity of the breaker arm is provided with a contact which is urged into engagement by means of spring 14 with a relatively stationary contact 16 fixedly secured in an upwardly projecting finger 11 forming an integral part of a bracket 18, the bracket 18 being adjustable for the purpose of regulating the separation of the contacts 15 and 18. To this end, as more particularly shown in Figure 6, the bracket is suitably pivoted to the supporting plate 13 by means of a screw 80, and is formed with an opening 8| adapted to engage an en-- larged head of an adjusting cam or eccentric member 82, the latter being providedwith a tenon 83 projecting through an opening in the plate 13 and being swaged as shown at 81 to hold the same to the plate 13. The bracket 18 is also provided with an elongated slot 85 adapted to accommodate a screw 86 which serves as a locking means to hold the bracket 18 in position on plate 13 after the bracket has been properly adjusted by means of the cam 83. The adjustment is particularly illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 6. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a very minute adjustment of the contact separation may be made by unskilled laymen without the use of special tools.

The movable contact 15 carried by breaker arm 10 is suitably connected to a terminal H supported upon plate 13 and separated therefrom by means ofa block of insulating material H. The terminal TI is adapted to be connected to a source of current supply by means not shown, and is also connected by a current conducting member 19 to the breaker arm 10. Terminal II is also connected to another terminal 95 by means of a flexible connector 93, terminal 95 being connected to the breaker arm 88. The terminal 95 is suitably insulated from the plate 9. When two breaker arms are used for simultaneously interrupting the ignition circuit as shown in Figure 5, it is important that the time of occurrence of the opening of the contacts of the respective breaker systems should be in unison. It is essential that one of the breaker arms be mounted upon an adjustable support. To this end breaker arm 88 is pivotally mounted upon a pivot pin 90 carried by plate 8|. Plate 9| is provided with struck up portions 82 which fit the edges of the central opening of the plate 13, thus rendering the plate adjustable about the axis of the cam. The plate 9| is provided with an open slot 94 circumventing a projection 96 formed in the plate 93. Obviously insertion of the tool as, for example, a screw driver, on either side of the projection 95 and one wall of the open slot 94 will serve to rotate the plate about the axis of the cam and thereby shift the relative angular relationship of breaker arm 88 with respect to breaker arm 10. The plate may be locked by means of screws 98 and '99.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character disclosed, the combination of a housing; a supporting plate in said housing; a cam in said housing; a. bracket pivotally carried by said plate; a relatively stationary contact fixedly carried by said bracket; 3 breaker arm carrying a movable contact pivotally supported on said bracket and operated by said cam, said movable contact and bracket having independent pivotal axes; and means to adjust the eflective opening of said contacts by moving said bracket relative to said cam.

2. In a device of the character disclosed, the combination of a housing; a supporting plate in said housing; a cam in said housing; a bracket plvotally carried by said plate; a relatively stationary contact secured to said bracket; a breaker arm carrying a movable contact; a pin for pivotally supporting said breaker arm carried by said bracket, said breaker arm and bracket having separate pivotal axes out of alignment with each other; and means to move said bracket with cluding an open ended slot iormedon said bracket and a projection carried by said supporting plate and cooperating with said slot.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of two cooperating members, one pivotally mounted on the other, and each carrying a contact for conjoint action one on the other, means for moving said pivotaliy mounted member to open and close said contacts. said one member, carrying the other pivoted thereto. being adjustabie primarily for varying the amount of separation of the contacts.

4. In a device of the character described. the combination of a mounting member, a circuit breaker member carrying a contact and being adjustably mounted on said mounting member, an arm pivotally mounted on said breaker member and having a contact cooperating with said firstmentioned contact, the adjustable mounting of said circuit breaker member being primarily for varying the amount of separation or the contacts.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a mounting member, a circuit breaker member carrying a contact and being adjustably mounted on said mounting member, a

post carried on said breaker member, an arm pivotaiiy mounted on the post, said arm having a contact for cooperation with said first-mentioned contact, the adjustable mounting of said circuit breaker member being primarily for varying the mentioned contact, the shiitable mounting of said circuit breaker member being primarily for varying the amount of separation of the contacts.

"I. In a circuit breaker having cooperative contacts, means for opening and closing said contacts, means for retaining the contacts in parallelism while varying the amount of opening oi! the contacts which comprises a shittable member carrying one of the contacts and a member movably carried on said shiitable member and carrying the other contact, said breaker member being adjustaple primarily for varying the amount of separation of the contacts.

IDUIB B. EHRLICH. 

